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En route to Makus III with a cargo of medical supplies, our course leads us past Murasaki 312, an unexplored quasar-like formation, and a priceless opportunity for scientific investigation. On board is Federation High Commissioner Ferris, overseeing the delivery of the supplies to Makus III.

Commissioner Ferris is impatient about getting the supplies to Makus III. The supplies are badly needed on New Paris which is facing a plague. There is, however, plenty of time before they have to be there. Kirk contacts the shuttlecraftGalileo, crewed by Spock, McCoy, Scott, Rand, Latimer, Gaetano, and Boma. Scott cannot wait to land on a planet that might be in the quasar. The shuttlecraft goes out of control and loses contact with the Enterprise. Kirk and Ferris argue when locates a planet in Murasaki 312. Kirk orders the ship to the planet, which is named Taurus II.

Spock asks if everyone is all right. McCoy wants a hypospray. Yeoman Rand just got a bump on the head. Scott reports that the propulsion and guidance systems are damaged. Dr. McCoy notices that the atmosphere is breathable. Scott is ordered to assess the damage, while Latimer and Gaetano are ordered to arm themselves and scout the area. Spock is not sure if the Enterprise will find them.

Meanwhile, on the Enterprise, Uhura cannot hail the shuttlecraft and nearly goes crazy. Kirk orders that shuttles be sent to find the Galileo. Kirk and Ferris argue about whether Kirk's idea will work, and Ferris brings up the fact that Kirk has become known for neglecting protocol. Back on the surface, Spock and McCoy argue about taking command. McCoy gets worried when fog starts rolling in. Meanwhile, Latimer and Gaetano are patrolling when Latimer is impaled by a spear. Spock identifies the weapon as a Folsom Point, characteristic of a Paleo-Indian tribe in North America thousands of years ago. Boma is angered by Spock's cold reaction to Latimer's death. McCoy decides that it is best to get back to the ship, where Scott has bad news: the power is drained. Just then, Gaetano runs in. The creature responsible for spearing Latimer in the back has returned with companions. Everyone wants to kill them except Spock, who refuses to do so and orders that they instead fire their phasers at the rocks as a scare tactic. It works.

We continue to search for any sign of the Galileo. But every minute that goes by brings a greater sense of futility and great loss.

The Enterprise has lost contact with the shuttles. Ferris gives Kirk twenty-four hours until it is time to go. Meanwhile, on Taurus II, Scott has an idea. He proposes using phasers as a power source. The idea is controversial. Scott informs them that the phasers will not provide enough power for all of them to be on board when they take off. McCoy suggests leaving their dead behind. Meanwhile, the Taureans are headed back for revenge.

Every single character is a counterpart of a person from the prime reality. The story mentions that Kirk is relatively young to be a Starfleet captain, but no substantial reference is made to the fact that each character would be nine years younger than the characters from the original version.

In the original version, Samuel Boma was a science officer, wearing a sciences division blue uniform, with lieutenant's rank. The comic adaptation has Boma, presumably younger, wearing no rank insignia on an operations division Starfleet uniform.

The original version Latimer had a first name "Reese" established in STvideo game: Starship Creator, while the alternate Latimer was called "Joseph" in the comic. It's somewhat unlikely that another unrelated person with the surname Latimer would take his place in another reality, so it seems to be a counterpart who has a different life history due to the timeline changes.

The original Ferris wore a navy tunic with gold piping, while the alternate wears a tunic of the same cut in white and silver.

The stardates in this issue do not conform to the year-based system begun in the 2009 film. The dates used here are asynchronous and are similar to those used in the regular universe version of this storyline.

This story's depiction of the death of Joseph Latimer is contradicted by TOSmovie: Star Trek Into Darkness, in which Kirk states that he has not lost any crew members since taking command of the Enterprise.